richey



1N0 Mode 1 I G. V. RIOHEY.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 584,650. Patented June 15,1897.

NITED STATES PATENT Option.

CHARLES V. RIOHEY, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO LEONARD O. BAILEY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,650; dated J une 15, 1897.

Application filed April 13,1897- Serial No. 631,974. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES V. RIC-HEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of my invention to improve and simplify the construction of that class of car couplings in which provision is made for the automatic engagement of pin-anddink devices.

My invention comprises certain improved attachments of a simple and comparatively inexpensive character adapted for easy and immediate application to all ordinary drawheads of the pin-and-link type. One of these attachments or devices relates to a springlatch for engaging an annular or circumferential groove in a vertically-guided couplingpin to hold the said pin in an elevated or temporarily inoperative position, and another attachment relates to an upwardly and forwardly projecting lever mechanism arranged to be automatically operated by con tact with an opposing draw-head and to thereby elevate a link-lifter for supporting in a properly-elevated position a link that is already engaged by a pin in one of the drawheads, while the further automatic operation of a corresponding lever on the opposite draw-head will trip the spring-latch from its engagement with the elevated coupling-pin of that draw-head andpermit it to drop into engagement with the link.

The invention consists in the features of construction and novel combination of carcoupling devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a view of my improved car-coupling, partly in elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the carcoupling attachments.

The reference-numeral l designates any ordinary draw-head adapted for use with the usual pin-andlink coupling. On the top of g each draw-head and around the usual upper pin-hole 2 there is secured in any suitable the attendant to enter between the cars.

manner a tubular vertical pin-guide 3, by which the vertically-movable coupling-pin 4 may be wholly or partly inclosed. This. pin 4 has at its upper end a head or shoulder 5, through which the pin is supported in the upper pin-hole when the pin is lowered into the draw-head, the lower end of the, pin being then received in a pin-hole 6 in the bottom of the draw-head, as usual.

It is preferable to provide the top of the tubular pin-guide 3 with pulleys or antifriction guide-rollers 7 for passage of chains 8, attached to the top of the pin 4. and extended to the sides of the car to permit drawing the pin or to effect uncoupling without requiring A similar chain 9 may be extended from the pin upward to the top of the car for a like purpose.

Near its lower end the couplingpiu 4 is provided with an annular or circumferential groove 10 for engagement with an automatic spring-latch 11, by which the pin is normally supported in an elevated or temporarily inoperative position until released in the act of coupling two opposing draw-heads. This spring-latch 11 is preferably secured to the top of the draw-head and may comprise a suitable length of stout spring-Wire curving around at the rear of the vertical pin-guide 3 and held down by suitable fastenings at or near one end. The free end of the springlatch 11 is arranged to project in advance of the draw-head or beyond its outer end and is curved outwardly to one side, as shown. Near its free end this spring-latch 11 is formed or provided with a latching projection 12, adapted to normally enter an opening 13 in one side of the tubular pin-guide 3 at its lower end and thereby engage in the circumferential groove 10 of the elevated coupling pin, so as to support said pin in its raised position. As the groove 10 is extended entirely around the pin 4:, it is always in position to be engaged by the spring-latch when the pin is elevated Without regard to any turning of the pin in its bearings. The pressure of an opposing draw-head on the free end of the spring-latch 11 will force the latch outward sufficiently to withdraw the latching projection 12 from engagement with the groove 10 and thereby permit the pin etto gravitate into engagement with a link 14, entering the drawhead. There may be provided a keeper 15 to limit the outward movement of the springlatch.

For the purpose of automatically withdrawing the spring-latch 11 from engagement with the elevated coupling-pin 4 and also to elevate or throw into action a link-lifter 16 there is provided an automatic lever 17, which is preferably in the form of a bail extended upward and forward across the outer end of the draw-head. This bail-shaped lever 17 is pivoted or fulcrumed near its lower ends at 18 to the opposite sides of the draw-head near its lower corners. The lower ends of the bail or lever 17 are hook-shaped and project forward, as shown, for pivotal attachment of the ends of the link-lifter 16, which is thereby permitted to fold backward and relieve the pivots of the lever 17 from strain when the draw-heads come together. The link-lifter is supported normally at a point slightly below the draw-head mouth, so as not to interfere in any way with vertical vibrations of the link while the cars are coupled and in motion. By means of a stop or stops 19 on one or both sides of the draw-head the lever 17 and pivotally-attached link-lifter 16 can be supported at any desired or suitable elevation, with the said lever 17 projecting normally forward and upward in the most favorable position for automatic operation by 0011- tact with an opposing draw-head.

It will be seen that the outer or upper portion of the bail-shaped lever 17 has a slight rearward fiare that facilitates yielding or rearward swinging of the lever when in contact with an opposing draw-head without in any way straining the said lever or its pivots. At one or both of its sides the bail-shaped lever 17 is preferably provided with an inward bend 20 for contact with the free end of the spring-latch 11 to press the same outwardly and thereby automatically withdraw the latch projection 12 from the elevated pin 4 in the act of moving cars together for coupling.

In the coupling of cars provided with the described attachments the usual open link 14 will be first inserted in one draw-head and be carried or retained there by lowering the pin of that draw-head into engagement with the link. As the opposing draw-heads are made to approach the lever 17 on one drawhead will come in contact with the corresponding lever 011 the other draw-head, and both said levers will be thereby swung backward. Thus the link-lifter 16 will be caused to elevate the link 14 to a proper position for entering readily into the opposite draw-head. The further rearward pressing of the levers 17 will withdraw the spring-latches 11, and the elevated coupling-pin of the one drawhead will be thereby released and permitted to drop into engagement with the link. As the two draw-heads come close together the link-lifters 16 will be folded backward at their pivotal attachment to the bails or levers 17 and thus the pivots of said levers will be relieved from all risk of strain or injury.

The latch for supporting the coupling-pin and the lever for automatically withdrawing said latch, and also the pivotally-attached link -lifter actuated by said lever, can be furnished at small cost for attachment to any draw-head of the usual link-and-pin type and damaged or broken parts can be cheaply and quickly replaced.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination with draw-heads, each having upper and lower pin-holes and a vertically-movable coupling-pin, of a spring-latch mounted on each draw-head to engage and support an elevated coupling-pin of one draw-head, bailshaped levers pivoted to the sides of the drawheads and normally projecting in upward inclined directions beyond the opposing drawheads to be simultan eouslyswung rearwardly by contact with each other, whereby the said rearwardswin gin g movement of one lever will I cause it to strike against and withdraw the spring-latch of that draw-head and release the elevated coupling-pin, and link-lifters attached to and actuated by said bail-shaped levers, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination with draw-heads, each having upper and lower pin-holes and a vertically-movable coupling-pin provided with a circumferential groove, of a spring-latch mounted on each draw-head and having a latching projection adapted to engage in said groove to support the pin in an elevated position, bail-shaped levers pivoted to the draw-heads and normally projecting in upward inclined directions beyond the respective draw-heads to be simultaneously swung rearwardly by contact with each other, whereby the said rearward-swinging movement of one lever will cause it to strike against and disengage the spring-latch from the elevated pin, and link-lifters attached to and actuated by said bail-shaped levers, substantially as described.

3. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination with draw-heads, each having upper and lower pin -holes, a verticallymovable coupling-pin and a tubular vertically-extended pin-guide secured to the top of the draw-head around the upper pin-hole and having an opening in one side, of a spring-latch mounted on each draw-head and having a latching projection adapted to enter the said opening in the pin-guide and support the elevated coupling-pin, bail-shaped levers pivoted to the draw-heads and normally projecting in upward inclined directions beyond and between the draw-heads to be simultaneously swung rearwardly by contact with each other, whereby the said rearward-swingin 7 I i ing movement of one lever will cause it to my hand in presence of two subscribing witstrike against and Withdraw the spring-latch nesses. to release the elevated coupling-pin, and folding link-lifters pivotally attached to and ae- 5 tuated by said bail-shaped levers, substan- Witnesses:

tially as described. JAMES L. NORRIS,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set HOWARD M. NORRIS.

CHARLES V. RIOHEY. 

